The City of Fremantle has a higher than average of older people living here than the other metropolitan councils, but policy making does not reflect that sufficiently, I believe.

We have a Youth Council, and that is great because we really need to get young people interested in local government, but we should also have a Senior Council, in the old tradition of a circle of elders.

Fremantle Council’s wish to reduce cars in the inner city can’t be dismissed, but it needs to be far more sensitive to the needs of seniors, disabled people, and parents with children.

Parking far away from shopping destinations will deter seniors from coming into town to shop and visit cafes. It”s a safety and a comfort issue for them.

We provide affordable and artist spaces, such as WGV and Nightingale, but we need to create communities for seniors as well. Men Sheds are good, but mainly for men, and many men, myself included, are not interested in handiwork, but would love to hang out with like-minded creative people in senior hubs, that could be inspired by the Fibonacci Centre.

There are opportunities at the Bathers Beach Arts Precinct, and the number one unit at J Shed could have been perfect for a creative community centre, but was unfortunately and inappropriately leased to Sunset Events to start a tavern and micro-brewery.

We also need to create community spaces where seniors can hang out with younger people, so that both sides can share their knowledge.

I personally love engaging with younger people in Fremantle because they often have a different perspective on life and different priorities, and it can be inspiring to listen to them.

In the Netherlands, where I was born, university students are offered free rooms in retirement centres, on the condition they spend a certain number of hours each week communicating with the older residents. A win win for all!

My next door neighbour told me that there are many single women in their 40s and 50s who feel a sense of isolation and are looking for safe housing options that suit them better, but there is not enough diversity of small dwellings available in Fremantle.

There are many people in our society who feel isolated and lonely and we need to reach out to them. Fremantle is the perfect city to do that. We care, we are creative, we are passionate and generous, so let’s work on some ideas and how we can make improvements.

The 2017 25 under 25 Art Award is now open for entries!
Young WA artists aged 14-25 are invited to enter their most exciting, accomplished and imaginative artworks and be in the running to win $1500 cash, plus loads of other prizes including $500 cash, an artist residency at the Fremantle Arts Centre and a portfolio mentorship.
It’s free to enter so you’ve got nothing to lose!
Get your entries in before midnight on Sunday May 14.
Full details at www.fremantle.wa.gov.au/25under25

The City of Fremantle is asking for expressions of interest from qualified architects to join the City’s Design Advisory Committee-DAC.

The DAC provides advise to Council on planning applications and liaises with developers, architects and designers to help improve the projects.

After having talked to developers and architects I wonder if there is need to broaden the DAC. Disgruntled developers bypass the local DAC and go straight to the State’s Development Assessment Panels so they don’t have to deal with what they perceive to be undue interference with their creative concepts. There is also a bit of ego involved because it is not easy for architects and designers to take advise from their peers who are also their competitors.

Just a though, City of Fremantle, you might want to think about.

Roel Loopers

PS: Thanks to Mayor Brad Pettitt who pointed out in a comment below that in the original post I referred to the DAC as the DAP. Very bad typo and lack of detail on my behalf! I will improve, I hope. ; >(

Fremantle has a new small art gallery which will only sell the work of local artists. Galleria d’arte West &nd is at 38A Marine Terrace, close to the Esplanade Hotel and will officially open on April 21 at 6 pm.

Works by artist such as Greg James, Janet Nixon, Jina Lee, Jenny Dawson, Lesley Barrett, Roberto Balsamo and others will be for sale, so check it out and support our local artists and small businesses.

Taking photos of reflections is a bit of a hobby for me, but I mainly do it to make sure I concentrate and am aware of my surroundings when pounding the pavement of Fremantle.

I always point out reflections to the people who attend ROEL’S FREMANTLE PHOTO TOURS, not because I want them to shoot every reflection, but to make sure they actually notice them.

There are so many hidden gems in the detail and one needs to have one’s eyes wide open to observe them in daily life. It makes one’s days so much more beautiful and appreciative of the great city we live in.

I took this photo in High Street this morning. The reflection is in the bonnet of a blue car.

School holidays are fast approaching at a speed of 24 hours a day, so Fremantle’s SPARE PARTS PUPPET THEATRE is of course doing a new show for the kids, their parents and everyone else who loves great puppet shows.

The Little Prince is on from April 9 to 23 every day but Sundays. Performances at 10 am and 1 pm, so don’t miss it!

I hope the rain will stay away from midday till mid evening on the long weekend so that the Fremantle Street Arts Festival can go ahead. It would be such a shame if it would be negatively affected by the weather as it is always so much fun.

But let’s celebrate the first decent soaking rain in Freo with two of my golden oldies. The top one is a reflection in puddles on the street and the second one of a reflection and rain drops on a car roof.

Artist Anya Brock, well-known for her great zebras mural at Ootong&Lincoln cafe and one at Tydeman Road on the wall of Murray Slavin architects, has returned to live in Fremantle, and her amazing show DetachedPerspective of paintings opens tonight at 6.30 pm at PS Art Space in Pakenham Street.

It is fantastic to see Anya move from figurative to abstract, and let me assure you this is a highly professional art show that is very deliberate. Nothing is accidental in these large abstracts, unlike some amateur painters who turn to abstract because they can’t paint.

Brock says about her work that it “explores objectivity as a response to the emptiness of existence. It’s about exploring the depth without drowning.”